James west



(No Model.)

J. WEST.

(ENVELOPE. No. 442,840. Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

Mmooao JAMES VEST, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL CUPPLES, OF SAME PLACE.

ENVELOPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,840, dated. December 16, 1890.

Application filed January 27, 1888- Serial No. 262.153. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES \VEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelopes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an envelope formed from a single sheet or blank folded transversely to form the front and back portions and the flap and longitudinally adjacent to the edges to form inturned flanges, which are cemented to each other and to the body portion, as fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a view illustrating the form of the blank from which the envelope is made; Fig. 2, a perspective view showing the blank in one of the stages of the manufacture; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the completed envelope looking from the back, and Fig. at a view illustrating the mannerin which the en velope may be readily opened.

The envelope is made from a sheet or strip of suitable size, which is out to form blanks A, varying in size and proportion according to the character of the envelope to be formed. The transverse cut at one edge forms a projecting tongue or flap a, and in the construction shown in the drawings in full lines the inclined portions 00 0c of this tongue or flap merge into straight edges l/ y at right angles to the side edges of the blank, for a purpose set forth hereinafter.

After the blank has been formed continuous or broken lines or layers 1) b of paste are applied to the side edges, extending from the edge 3 or adjacent thereto as far as a transverse line to, upon which the blank is folded in order to double it in the manufacture of the envelope, and after the paste has been deposited, as aforesaid, each edge of the blank is turned or folded over upon the lines o a, forming inturned flanges (Z (Z, as shown in Fig. 2, the paste between the said flanges and the body of the blank along the lines I) 'b cementing the portions 3 3 of said flanges to that part of the blank which constitutes the face and flap portion of the envelope. After the flanges have thus been formed two lines of paste e e are applied to their outer faces, the said lines of paste running from the edge '0 of the blank as far as the line to, or, if desired, they may also be extended along the portions 3 of the flanges, and the blank is then 5 folded upon the line to, bringing both portions of the flanges together, so that the parts 3, which are pasted to the part that constitutes the front of the envelope, are also pasted to the inner faces of the remaining port-ions of the flanges, as shown in Fig. 3.

If the flap is to be gummed, as is usually the case, the gum is applied to the edge thereof, and I prefer in most instances to extend it down along the sides of the flap and upon the outer faces of the inturned flanges, as shown in Fig. 3, and after the gum is dried, or before, if desired, the blank is creased along the line a, adjacent to the edge 2) of the back portion, so as to constitute a dividingline between the flap portion and the face portion of the envelope and facilitate the folding of the flap over in a straight line with a neat finish.

A-n envelope constructed as above describedv can be manufactured very cheaplyas, for instance, by the process and the machine set forth in my applications for Letters Patent, Serial Nos. 262,154 and 261,983,1iled, respectively, January 27, 1888, and January 26,1888.

It will be seen that the envelope so constructed is of several thicknesses at each side to an extent corresponding to the width of the flanges (Z d, and that this thickened portion is stiifened by the two layers of paste which are used in cementing one portion of the flange to the face and this portion to the other portion of the flange upon the back, and these stiffened edges or portionsgreatly facilitate the opening of the envelope, for if the latter after it is sealed be seized by one corner between the fingers, while the body of the envelope is held in the other hand, and the corner portion be quickly drawn away the envelope will tear transversely and easily with an even tear the thinner front and back portion, the thickened end portion acting as a cutter to insure a straight rupture. The

thickened side portions, while they do not TOO velope, which is substantially eqnal'i n intorior width to the exterior, further strengthen the envelope and stilfen it, so as to especially adapt it for use in carrying seeds, powder, &c., and for this purpose the application of the gum to the side portionst' iof the flap, as well as to the transverse edge, enables me to absolutely seal the envelope when the flap is pasted down upon the body, so as to prevent the escape of powders, &c., while the thickened corners at i 1', where there are six thicknesses of paper, (and three thicknesses of gum when the flap is turned down,) effectually strengthen the envelope at its weakest point. In some instances it is not desirable to have such increased thickness at this point, in which case the portions of the vflanges (Z (1 beyond the line it may be removed, and the flap may in some cases be curved at the edge toward the sides, as shown by dotted lines 5, Fig. 1.

Vithontlimiting myself to the precise form of envelope shown, I claim- 1. An envelope consisting ofrsii igle folded sheet having intnrned flanges at the sides cemented to each other and cemented to one only of the faces of the envelope and to the inner face of the flap, the latter projecting beyond the back section and being strengthened by the'said flanges at its ends, substantially as set forth.

2. An envelope consisting of a sheet folded to form side flanges cemented to one face only of the sheet and to each other and to the flap, as set forth, the flap projecting beyond the body of the envelope and having a layer of cement along its edge, which also extends across the doubled inturned flanges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J AMES \VEST.

Witnesses:

J. M. KERR, C. A. KAHRE. 

